Gone was the time where we could only print a picture in a paper. Nowadays, you can take a 3-dimensional model or even create it your own and print it just like what your computer displays to you. This is all possible thanks to the advancement of 3D printing. Today, we will take a look and compare two 3D printers that are available in the market, the Creality Ender 3 3D printer and the Monoprice Maker Select V2 3D printer, so that you can have your own 3D printer in your home.
Creality Ender 3
First, let us take a look into the Creality Ender 3 3D printer. Creality is a company that specialized in the 3D printing business since its inception in 2014. The Ender 3 is one of the two series of 3D printers that they have already sold in the market and the third generation of the Ender series. Read also: Ender 3 V2 vs Ender 5.
When you receive the Creality Ender 3 3D printer for the first time, you will receive in a box in parts. You will need to assemble the 3D printer before using it. Inside the box, there is a manual book that can help you to do this. You can also get this manual from the Creality official website. For its price, the Ender 3 can be said as a big 3D printer, with the whole set up when it is finished being assembled, being 440 mm long, 410 mm wide, and 465 mm tall; 17” x 16” x 18.3”. Also, when fully assembled, the Ender 3 has a weight of 8 kgs, or 17.6 lbs. The Creality Ender 3 3D printer is powered with cord which requires 100-265 Volt 50-60 Hz to work.
The Creality Ender 3 3D printer uses FDM modeling technology, or Fused Deposition Modeling. This modeling technology uses heated plastic material as the main ingredients to create the result. For the printing size of the Ender 3, it has a surface area of 220 mm long and wide, and 250 mm tall; 8” tall and wide x 9.8” tall. The Ender 3 is also equipped with a heated bed. This will ensure your printed result does not cool too quickly after being cast, which might affect the result of the printing if it happens. The heat up process of the heated bed is also fairly quick, with its bed being able to reach 110℃ in just under 5 minutes. This will speed up the printing process as you do not need to wait for the bed to reach the ideal temperature for long. To be operational, the Ender 3 requires a standard 1.75 mm plastic filament, be it PLA, TPU, or ABS, to be fed into its nozzle. The Ender 3 can print with a maximum of 0.4 mm thickness with printing precision of more or less 0.1 mm. The Ender 3 also can be said as a fast printer with its ability to print at maximum speed of 185 mm/s.
| Creality Ender 3 | Monoprice Maker Select V2 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
|
| Product Dimensions | 8.7 x 8.7 x 9.8 inches | 19.7 x 18.9 x 11.2 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 17.64 Pounds | 1.41 Ounces |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
The Ender 3 can also be said to be versatile, as it can receive data from SD card or while directly connected into your computer. It also can resume its works after being shut down. This gives you flexibility of the time when you want to print your model. No longer you need to let it on for all day and night just to print a model until it’s finished.
Monoprice Maker Select V2
Now, let us take a look at the 3D printer sold by Monoprice, the Monoprice Maker Select V2. Monoprice is an electronics retailer that has already been around since 2002. The addition of 3D printers is among many products that it has already sold. The Monoprice Maker Select V2 is, as its name implies, the second generation of the Maker Select series of 3D printers.
When you get your hands on the Monoprice Maker Select V2, you will receive several items inside the box and the 3D printers itself in disassembled configuration. The assembly process is quite simple with it only requiring you to attach six screws which you can look at the guide in the manual book you also receive inside the box. The Monoprice Maker Select V2, when fully assembled, has a total measurement of 500 mm x 480 mm x 285 mm, or 19.7” x 18.9” x 11.2”. The Maker Select V2 can be said quite heavy with the total weight of the device being 22 lbs. or 10 kg. This printer is powered by cord cable which requires power of 100-120 V 60 Hz to be fully functional.
The Monoprice Maker Select V2 uses FFF modeling technology, or Fused Filament Fabrication. This type of modeling technology is the unofficial name for the Fused Deposition Modeling or FDM, which is the trademark name for such modeling technology. The Maker Select V2 has a smaller size of build area when compared to the Ender 3 at around 200 mm x 200 mm x 180 mm, or 7.9” x 7.9” x 7.1”. The Maker Select V2 takes the standard 1.75 mm plastic filament as its main ingredient. However, this 3D printer can use more variety of materials compare to other 3D printer, from ABS, PLA, XT Copolyester, PET, TPU, TPC, FPE, PVA, HIPS, Jelly, Foam, Felty, Wood, Copper Fill, Steel Fill, and Bronze Fill can be used by this 3D printer. It is also equipped with a heated bed to ensure the cast stays in form and not cooling too fast which might disturb the result of the printing.
The Monoprice Maker Select V2 can accept models through a Micro USB or Micro SD card. This allows it to receive model design by directly from your computer as you finish the model or by a model saved inside a Micro SD card.
Creality Ender 3 vs Monoprice Maker Select V2
Conclusion
All in all, the Creality Ender 3 might be the best 3D printer you should buy. With its price which is far lower compared to the Monoprice Maker Select V2, with the previous being 199.00 USD and the latter being 329.99 USD, the Ender 3 is already in lead. The similar features available also put Ender 3 at the forefront of choice rather than the Maker Select V2.